Method and Apparatus for a Local Positioning System

1. An apparatus for use in a local positioning system, the device comprising: a power line communications interface, configured to mate and electrically communicate with a power outlet connected to a power delivery network, the power line data interface further configured to transmit data via a data network; a wireless transceiver that receives wireless signals and outputs corresponding signal strength information; and a data bridge, operatively connected to the power line communications interface and the wireless receiver, that receives the signal strength information from the wireless receiver and sends the signal strength information and a time stamp to the power line communications interface for transmission via the data network, wherein the data bridge includes a unique identification and sends the unique identification with the signal strength information and the time stamp to the power line communications interface for transmission via the data network.

2. A local positioning system, comprising: a plurality of local positioning receiver relays configured to mate and electrically communicate with corresponding ones of a plurality of power outlets connected to a power delivery network, each of the local positioning receiver relays operative to transmit, via a first data network, signal strength information relative to wireless signals received thereby and time stamps associated with the signal strength information; a controller operatively connected to the plurality of local positioning receiver relays via the first data network; and a wireless survey terminal operatively connected to the controller via a second data network and operative to transmit wireless signals that may be received by the plurality of local positioning receiver relays, wherein the wireless survey terminal transmits information identifying a plurality of known locations to the controller via the second data network, each of the plurality of known locations in proximity to at least a first portion of the plurality of local positioning receiver relays, wherein, for each of the plurality of known locations, the wireless survey terminal further transmits wireless test signals thereby causing each of the first portion of the plurality of local positioning receiver relays to transmit test signal strength information and time stamps to the controller via the first data network, and wherein the controller stores, for each of the plurality of known locations, a location fingerprint to provide a plurality of location fingerprints, each of the plurality of location fingerprints comprising that test signal strength information corresponding to the known location and having substantially contemporaneous time stamps.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first data network is the power delivery network.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first data network is first wireless network.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second data network is a second wireless network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a second portion of the plurality of local positioning receiver relays are operative to receive a non-test wireless signal from a wireless device and, in response to the non-test wireless signal, to transmit non-test signal strength information and time stamps to the controller via the first data network, and wherein the controller compares that non-test signal strength information having substantially contemporaneous time stamps with the plurality of location fingerprints and identifies the know location corresponding to that location fingerprint that best matches the non-test signal strength information.

7. A method for use in a local positioning system, the method comprising: receiving, by a controller from each of a first portion of a plurality of local positioning receiver relays via a first data network, test signal strength information and a time stamp responsive to a wireless test signal transmitted by a wireless survey terminal and received by the local positioning receiver relay; receiving, by the controller from the wireless survey terminal via a second data network, information identifying a known location, the known location in proximity to the first portion of the plurality of local positioning receiver relays; storing, by the controller in association with the information identifying the known location, a location fingerprint comprising that test signal strength information corresponding to the known location and having substantially contemporaneous time stamps.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first data network is the power delivery network.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: receiving, by the controller from each of a second portion of the plurality of local positioning receiver relays via the first data network, non-test signal strength information and time stamps response to a non-test wireless signal from a wireless device; and comparing, by the controller, that non-test signal strength information having substantially contemporaneous time stamps with the location fingerprint and identifying the know location corresponding to the location fingerprint when the non-test signal strength information substantially matches the location fingerprint.